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Slack / Private Message Drop, p.170 [SLACK_000384] · slack_pm:msg:01747

Date: 2020-09-15 14:35
Type: chat message · slack
recipient: Kristian G. Andersen, Edward C. Holmes, Andrew Rambaut
speaker: Robert F. Garry
Topics: Proximal Origin paper

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This has been next-level from the beginning [Anna's instincts are correct]. Hasn't really changed. It's just that Proximal Origins knocked the conspiracy theorists off their rails. Now we know the names of some of the drivers ofthe news cycles, who obviously have deep roots. Kristian's twitter on this is very interesting. Yan has a lot ofsupporters. Yes Alina is an idiot, but the worst kind - a useful one to those with an agenda. Bannon is hero to manyon the right. The China virus meme is a big part of Trump's re-election scam. Yan's paper is so full of shit - a RubeGoldberg scheme where the marble falls off the rail at the first turn - , but there are not that many of us that candebunk the shit.

In context

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2020-09-15 13:52 Kristian G. Andersen open

Yup. This is pretty next-level shit - might sit this one out.
2020-09-15 13:57 Andrew Rambaut open

Staying well clear of this one. The Bannon connection is enough to destroy its credibility (and probably any lingeringcredibility this stuff had more generally). Basically Alina is going to have to make a decision as to whether she wantsto be associated with these people now.
2020-09-15 14:01 Edward C. Holmes open

Totally agree. The Bannon thing couldn't be better....puts a bomb under all the conspiracy theorists. We can just watch the fall-out from a safe distance.
2020-09-15 14:18 Kristian G. Andersen open

Yup - and not to mention - with this level of involvement, this is getting dangerous too. Not going down that path -enough grey hairs and troubled wife already. Alina has been remarkably quiet... Maybe it's dawning on her that she's an idiot.
2020-09-15 14:35 Robert F. Garry

This has been next-level from the beginning [Anna's instincts are correct]. Hasn't really changed. It's just that Proximal Origins knocked the conspiracy theorists off their rails. Now we know the names of some of the drivers ofthe news cycles, who obviously have deep roots. Kristian's twitter on this is very interesting. Yan has a lot ofsupporters. Yes Alina is an idiot, but the worst kind - a useful one to those with an agenda. Bannon is hero to manyon the right. The China virus meme is a big part of Trump's re-election scam. Yan's paper is so full of shit - a RubeGoldberg scheme where the marble falls off the rail at the first turn - , but there are not that many of us that candebunk the shit.
2020-09-15 14:39 Robert F. Garry open

Hopefully, the right journo's tear into the whole Bannon thing. Definitely we should stay in the science lane and not comment about the politics. Watching it from afar will be entertaining.
2020-09-15 14:50 Edward C. Holmes open

Wise words Bob. I was thinking of reminding Alina that Inspector Clouseau was also a detective.
2020-09-15 15:07 Edward C. Holmes open

More wise words from Jon Cohen:
2020-09-15 15:07 Edward C. Holmes open

"They have perfected the art of baffling with bullshit, dressing up arguments in technical language that you candecipher but is indecipherable to people outside of the field. Leaving aside their peculiar motivations, they waste our time".

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